The purpose of this exercise is to reflect on how the Action Project is going so far. Please answer the following questions:
- In general, how do you think our Action Project is going so far?
- Specifically, what is going well in terms of positive actions, behaviors, successes, etc. that you have observed?
- Specifically, what is not going well in terms of negative actions, behaviors, set backs, etc. that you have observed?
- What changes in your actions or in your behaviors can you make to help improve your experience and to be more efficient to help organize our project by May 8, 2006?
Rachel
In general I think the action project is going well. I think we are off to a good start because we know what we are doing now and we have started to organize all of it. Specifically I think that the writing part is going well. This is the only part I have been involved with yet so that is the only thing that I know how it is going. I think the only set back so far is that today almost everyone was gone and we had a sub so it was a little hard to know what to do and do it without anyone there, but I thought it went pretty well anyway. I don’t know what I would change to make it go more smoothly because I haven’t done too much yet, but I think it will go well once we start going a little bit more.
Becca
1. I believe the action project is going great so far. Everyone seems to like the water project that we have chosen, and everyone has some part in the project.
2. Everyone has had a positive attitude in the action project as of Friday. Because everyone chose their own part in this project, no one can complain! We have been working together to make this project fun and helpful.
3.Behavior has been great so far, like I said above, no one can complain about what they chose to do. One set back is that we had a sub Friday and could not get all the work we could do done. Phone numbers as well as budget for this whole project was not fully explained. I believe that we will have to work extremely hard to get everything ready by the 8th of May!
4. I believe that my help in this project is perfect to me as of Friday. I have tried to help other groups as best I could, but as I said above phone numbers of people to call were not given making it hard for me to do what was asked of me. I instead help another group as best I could, still without budget info it was hard for all of us.
prasun
In general, how do you think our Action Project is going so far?
So far I think it’s a mess, theirs a lot of screwing around and stuff, but I think we will be able to get back on track.
Specifically, what is going well in terms of positive actions, behaviors, successes, etc. that you have observed?
I think that all of us have some good outdoor experience and together there is plenty of knowledge. I think it’s a great idea to find peoples strong point because then every thing will be done with out much disagreement.
Specifically, what is not going well in terms of negative actions, behaviors, set backs, etc. that you have observed?
I think were slacking and putting things off and that needs to stop.
What changes in your actions or in your behaviors can you make to help improve your experience and to be more efficient to help organize our project by May 8, 2006?
I think I could talk more and have more input, I mostly stay back and listen and when I really don’t agree with something I’ll talk, but other than that I’m mostly silent.
Eric Ellison
1. I think this action project is big. Big, as in “what are we doing with water? Water’s a big issue.” I gained clarity when we drafted the mission statement, but it is still extremely broad. The pace we are going with this project is actually amazing. With the other projects we always had all quarter, but 4 days in May came up quick. I know that we have been doing a lot more talking with community members involved in this, which has been very helpful in setting reasonable goals for our impact. This should be cool!
2. I’ve heard a whole lot of great discussion about what we think is wrong with water in Boulder County. I think most people have a very good idea of what they want their public water to look like, and we have all been able to identify problems we want to address and several courses of action. I think everyone has reasonably good attitudes and expectations for this project. Success, I think, may still be pending.
3. No one is really presenting bad attitudes in this project. I have some complaints in terms of overall class behavior, because some kids do goof around and it does make my CAP experience less meaningful. However, in terms of the project, we are mostly good. I think we do have a really tough timetable for this, and I do need to see a little more action. Several students have really been working hard, but there are also several who need to step up, take a responsibility, and get shh done.
4. I am most comfortable working on my own with my own responsibilities. That has worked well, because I have been in charge of the ecological stuff, so I’ve been able to do it my way. This is good for me on the individual level. I have noticed however that the class may need a little more directive leadership. This has so far come mostly from Ford, and a little bit from our wonderful project managers, but I think there is room for more. I’m in CAP to take leadership, and that’s a challenge to me because I’m not all that natural at being a leader. I think it’s time.
Hawk McIntyre
1. I think it’s going great though we still need to work on a couple of things to complete it.
2. We decided that we want to go to the farmers market, then split into two groups. One group will be informing people about water polution and the second group will be cleaning the creek. It’s going to be really fun.
3. Not much is going wrong, we did have to make Leo hug a tree and a few people had to do some push-ups. But other than that everything is going great.
4.I think I need to be a little more focused because I tend to get distracted easily, but other than that everything is fine.
Torie
1. In general, I think the action project is going good. We have yet to actually take action, so far we have just been planning which is an important part.
2. We have come up with the different areas we need to work on (example: City of Boulder creek clean out). We have also established groups, for example, the T-shirt group. Just coming up with the project was a success. This project allows a lot of direct action as well as interacting with people. Becca talking with her mom about the T-shirts (her mom has a connection) was a positive action.
3. There have been a few negative actions and behaviors. When we were deciding different areas in class only half of the group was paying attention. I think that everyone should but forward a little more enthusiasm.
4. The changes I can make for the action project is getting to hard work tomorrow and finding a design for the T-shirts. I can also start making calls so this can be a success!
Noah
1. Even though there has been some lack of enthusiasm, we have established more or less what we are going to do, and who is going to do it. That’s good, I’m proud we’ve accomplished that much in this time period. Not that I can take much credit for it, but we‘re all in this together. I think people are ready to start getting serious about this now that we’ve established this base.
2. Everyone is enthusiastic about taking one part or another that has to be accomplished; someone took the research, someone’s handling the t-shirts, ect… At first I was feeling a little unexcited about the project, but when people started jumping in and working it got me (and possibly some others) excited about the project.
3. Sometimes it comes down to people not wanting to work. I get the feeling a lot that people joined CAP to have a good time, end of story. I think a lot of the students just picked the Boulder Creek project thinking it would be fun to spend 4 days parked next to the creek, swimming, tubing or whatever. They aren’t always living the action statement we came up with. When it comes down to doing the work, if nobody is excited and motivated, this project is going to be lame. Conversely, if everyone is into it, then it will be an awesome experience.
4. So far I’ve been somewhat overwhelmed, and I’ve let my responsibility as project leader go unattended. Perhaps I should not have run for the position, this being my first CAP class, but I feel like I’m back on my feet. I can step up and start taking more initiative now. I’m glad but guilty others have been willing to fill my position until now. I hope now we can work more as a team, rather than a few students in the class telling the rest what they should be doing.
kris
My action project group is making t-shirts raising awareness about our class’ action project.
· Our group is doing good but lots of people have been missing. Also I have been missing all weeks so I am a little out of the loop.
· Our group also has a really good design and really good lay out of where to get our supplies.
· The one thing that is not going well is how much money we have, everybody is sick so we can’t make any thing final.
· All we need to do to get everything done is just have evey on in our group be there at least one day.
Jade Mondore
1. I think that our project is going well and it will turn out to be a really fun four days. I haven’t done a service project for a long time and I’m really looking forward working around Boulder Creek.
2. It seemed really complicated when we first got into this whole planning thing and I was kind of concerned about pulling it all together, however, it now seems like we have a concrete plan for our four days. It seems to have come together quite nicely.
3. Overall the only thing I would have been concerned about is getting everything organized on time, but as of like 20 minutes ago, in class, we made a good four day schedule so i don’t really have any negative thoughts on the project.
4. I have had, for the most part, a pretty excited attitude towards this project. there’s nothing that I would want to change. I just hope I don’t get too overly angry at the slackers in the class.
gillian
1. In general, how do you think our Action Project is going so far?
I think our project is finally coming together and looking alright. In the beginning I think we were all a little wary about our schedule and how we would fill four full days tackling “water issues”, but it seems like we’ve gotten our act together and made a great project. I’m excited to see that almost everyone has found a niche in the project where they can do the work and enjoy it at the same time.
2. Specifically, what is going well in terms of positive actions, behaviors, successes, etc. that you have observed?
There are a few kids, like the awesome project managers, who seem really committed to doing a job well done and making a difference with the work that we do. It’s really inspiring to watch people step-up like that and, in turn, inspire others to do the same. I think we’re finally finding a way to communicate our ideas and get things done in a time-efficient manner as a class, rather than yelling and arguing with each other and having to hug trees as a consequence.
3. Specifically, what is not going well in terms of negative actions, behaviors, set backs, etc. that you have observed?
Of course, there is always the time-wasting squirrely-ness that comes with putting a dozen or so teens together in a room and making them design a huge project, but I think this has become less of an issue than it was in the beginning. I agree with Eric–more leadership needs to come from people who haven’t yet stepped up. I also think we should try to stray away from the fantasy of tubing down Boulder Creek on our last day of the project and instead get focused and excited about the tasks ahead. It’ll be just as fun, minus the chance of having your skull smashed. Yay!
4. What changes in your actions or in your behaviors can you make to help improve your experience and to be more efficient to help organize our project by May 8, 2006?
I think I can take a chance to step back and let other people take control. I’m a very controlling person when I think I can get something done right, and more often than not, I am wrong. Things always work out better when you work as a team, and I have much faith in this group to do an amazing job. I will have fun making kick butt t-shirts so we can all be energized and focused on Monday!